Herpes virus which causes cold sores and genital herpes is one. Chicken pox which can lead to shingles later in life, is another. HIV is a particularly widespread one that can cause AIDS. Many viruses exist that can harm people as well as other living things.
Warts are caused by viruses. They are usually caused by HPV as well. There are many different kinds of warts such as plantar warts, genital warts, and flat warts.
Rabies is a very serious viral infection that attacks the nervous system. If not treated it usually leads to death. Although humans getting infected with rabies is rare, it happens occasionally. A human gets rabies from the bite of an infected (rabid) animal.
Polio is another example of a very deadly virus. Jonas Salk created a vaccine for polio and it became widely distributed in 1955. Fortunately, polio was eliminated from the United States by 1979.
There are many known viruses and many that have yet to be discovered.
- Ebola was discovered in 1976 in Africa. It is considered a hemorrhagic virus. This refers to the fact that the virus interferes with the cell lining of blood vessels and with the bodies clotting ability. This interference cases massive hemorrhaging and eventual death from blood loss.
- Herpes Simplex Virus is a highly contagious virus transmitted by the shedding of the virus from the skin. It can be transmitted in saliva and vaginal secretions. Some people are exposed to it during birth by contact with the mother's blisters.
- Human Papillomavirus is a highly contagious virus that can be transmitted through intercourse. HPV causes no symptoms in some people. Others have been known to develop genital wart and even cancer from the virus.
Influenza is a viral illness that causes the flu. There is influenza A and influenza B. These viruses change or mutate each year. This is why we will probably never find a cure for the flu.
HIV is human immunodeficiency virus that causes HIV infection. Some people live for years with HIV, others will eventually get AIDS(acquired immune deficiency syndrome).HIV and AIDS attack the body's immune system. Your immune system fights off disease. When you are immuno-compromised, you can't fight off normal pathogens.
Meningitis, inflammation of the meninges which surround your brain and spinal cord, can have a viral or bacterial etiology.
You can add to the previous list other major infectious viruses of the past and present, including:
1) The West Nile Virus - which affects mainly animals, but recently has crossed over into human infection and caused a moderate number of deaths in the US
2) The Small Pox Virus - mostly eradicated from the world, but responsible for wiping out most of the Native tribes in North and South America
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2) The Small Pox Virus - mostly eradicated from the world, but responsible for wiping out most of the Native tribes in North and South America
3) Chicken Pox - It used to be much more common before a vaccine was developed. I still have scars from this disease I got when I was a child.
There are a lot of viruses that cause people to become sick. Some of them are very famous. Viruses are often very difficult to fight because they cannot be killed by antibiotics. Here are some of the viruses that can cause illness or disease:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus -- this is HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
- Flu viruses. There are lots of different strains of flu virus, which is why new vaccines have to be made every year.
- Cold virus. The common cold is caused by a virus.